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As WP's senior editor, I edit review and preview articles, attempt to keep up with the frantic pace of Rainier's news posts, and keep our reviewers on deadline, which is akin to herding cats. When I have a moment to myself and don't have my nose in a book, I like to play action/RPG, adventure and platforming games.

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'Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars' - Game Details & Screens

Cossacks II will put gamers in control of one of six 19th-century nations as they wage war, secure alliances and work to economically and militarily defeat their opponents to become the dominant European power. With an enhanced 3D graphics engine, more than 150 unit types and a realistic troop morale system, "Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars" will challenge armchair emperors to prove their mettle as they fight historical and historically inspired battles on an epic scale.

Strategy gamers, in the roles of diplomat, warrior and economist, will play as the 19th century leader of one of six European nations as they expand their empires through treaties, truncheons and treasuries. Utilizing a brand-new 3D engine, the game will allow up to 64,000 beautifully rendered units to be on-screen simultaneously, as army's battle across sweeping landscapes, featuring gorgeously detailed historic buildings and more than 1,000 types of realistic flora and fauna.

CORE FEATURES

Diplomacy - Armchair emperors have a full retinue of diplomatic options at their disposal. Strike treaties, bargain for border-crossing rights, apply economic sanctions and find other ways to weaken the opposition while strengthening your position. Call upon your allies to help bolster your troops in combat, or sabotage the enemy before heading onto the battlefield: it's all available to you within the world of Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars.

Troop Experience and Morale System – Green troops or local conscripts are often a commander's own worst enemy, so it pays to keep your soldiers alive and find ways to strengthen their backbones. Troops that live longer will grow in experience and reinforce the morale of troops around them, thus becoming highly valuable battlefield assets. Special units—drummers, priests, officers, and flag-bearers—can bolster morale. Heavy casualties, facing particularly fierce and overwhelming opponents, or marching long distances will cause morale to drop until units rout.

Massive Historical Battles – Players will play as one of six nations, fighting through key historically inspired battles of the 19th century. Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars supports massive numbers of units on-screen at one time, for true mayhem as massive armies collide, seeking European dominance.

Economics – The sword leads to conquest, while gold keeps the empire alive. In Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars, players manage resources such as gold, coal, wood, brick and iron, while working to keep trade routes open on land and sea. By blocking enemy trade routes, players can quickly weaken their foes. Huge armies also consume significant resources; failing to keep units fed and supplied withers them as surely as marching into a massed enemy musket volley.

Varied Game Play - Those preferring set-unit actions can now walk in the footsteps of famed European military leaders in some of the most significant battles inspired by the Napoleonic era. Fans of strategic warfare can try their luck as would-be emperors, rising in rank and command authority, while competing for dominance of Europe through trade, diplomacy, and militaristic expansion. Traditional real-time strategy game fans will delight at the open-ended possibilities of skirmish mode in which resource gathering, technology trees, upgrades, strategic buildings, and, of course, effective warfare are key.

Online Play – Supporting full online play via LAN or Internet, Cossacks II: Napoleonic Wars will allow players to go head to head against other armchair emperors.